(Editor's note: Story updated at 12:40 p.m. July 8)
Adam Ingram has been selected by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the NHL Entry Draft. Ingram was selected with the 82nd overall pick, which is the 18th pick in the third round.
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound 18-year-old from West St. Paul, Manitoba, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play this fall for St. Cloud State.
After being limited to eight junior hockey games in 2020-21 due to the pandemic, Ingram had a breakout season for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League.
Ingram had 26 goals (tied for 18th in the USHL), 55 points (24th), eight power-play goals (tied for 16th), 16 power-play assists (tied for 17th) and led the Phantoms to the playoffs.
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Youngstown's 'biggest suprise'
Ingram made the Phantoms during the team's camp a little more than a year ago.
"He dominated that camp," Youngstown co-general manager and vice president of hockey operations Ryan Kosecki said. "He led the camp in scoring. Every shift, he was creating scoring chances.
"His shot was the first thing that you noticed. He's got an elite NHL shot at 18 years of age, which is rare. He can beat goalies clean."
The NHL scouts took notice at the 2021 USHL Showcase in Pittsburgh.
"There's somewhere around 200 scouts there every year," Kosecki said. "They're looking for those things that he has: the size, the skating and an elite NHL shot. As soon as he caught fire that weekend, there was a lot of NHL buzz on him."
He had at least one point in 16 straight games from Oct. 22-Dec. 12 and had 10 goals and 24 points in that stretch. That stretch helped get him ranked No. 14 among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings.
Adam Ingram is not only an #NHLDraft prospect, but also a golfer who competes regularly. His dad, Derek, is a professional golf coach who has coached PGA players, Canadian national golf teams and won numerous awards for teaching golf. pic.twitter.com/eVa3Stl0dz
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 30, 2022
"He was probably the biggest surprise for us to start the season," Kosecki said. "Looking back, he probably carried us and helped our season more than you would think. He kept us in some games that we either tied or won because he was the only one who was scoring consistently.
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"The most important thing in hockey in 2022 is hockey sense. He's got tons of it, particularly on the offensive end. He's got that knack of knowing when to take off and get that breakaway and to know where to shoot. Offensively, he's a special, special player."
Ingram also showed improvement as the season went along when he didn't have the puck.
"His play away from the puck and his play in the defensive zone were definitely not ready for our league to start the year," Kosecki said. "That's what happens with every kid when they come to play in our league — they need to learn to play in all three zones.
"Throughout November and December, he had some learning moments. With video and coaching, he was able to improve his game in those two areas immensely. Being F1 on the forecheck, he didn't like to do that a lot when the season started. By the end of the year, he was rounding out his complete, 200-foot game.
"At the start of the year, he scored a ton and everyone was saying, 'He's got to go in, he's got to go in,'" Kosecki said of playing college hockey in 2022-23. "I didn't think he was ready. He just slowly improved all those areas. Then by the end of the year, you were like, 'Oh my god, this kid has got to go and be a good college hockey player.'"
Adam Ingram on his dad, Derek, who is a professional golf coach. pic.twitter.com/3l4YSBvEKs
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) July 8, 2022
And Ingram's potential to fill out his 6-2 frame is something that Kosecki is looking forward to seeing.
"He was 160 (pounds) soaking wet," Kosecki said of the beginning of the season. "That's where I think St. Cloud is going to be amazing for him. They're going to stick him in that DI weight room and training program and he's going to put on weight and get stronger.
"When we saw him at the beginning of the year, we thought he might struggle with the physicality and getting outmuscled. I never noticed that throughout the year. He doesn't play a big, banging style. But he doesn't shy away from contact either. I never saw him get outmuscled on pucks and I never saw him in 50-50 (battles) where he was not as strong as the other guy. When you're as smart as he is with that hockey IQ, you tend to find a way to win those even when you might not be as strong or, in some instances, as big as the other guy."
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